Riser structure for fastener-applying implements



2,798,219 RISER STRUCTURE FOR FASTENER-APPLYING IMPLEMENTS Filed Dec. 16, 1955 July 9, 1957 A. H. MAYNARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 7 rlizurMMaynwd 3 zf yaQ ,qrTomm s July 9, 1957 A. H. MAYNARD 2,798,219 RISER STRUCTURE FOR FASTENER-APPLYING IMPLEMENTS Filed Dec. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nited States Pate Patented July 9, 1957 RISER STRUCTURE FOR FASTENER-APPLYING INIPLEMENTS Arthur H. Maynard, Westerly, R. L, assignor to Bostitch, Inc., Stonington, Conn., a corporation of Rhode Island Application December 16, 1955, Serial No. 553,528 6 (Claims. (Cl. 1-3) This invention relates to improvements in fastenerapplying implements for attaching papers and other sheets, fastening tags and labels to articles of commerce, and for use generally in attaching various objects and articles.

A particular object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the action of the staple-driver in relation to the clinching means to cause the staples to be applied in such manner that their legs will be clinched close to the under side of the work without projecting therefrom at their ends to injure the fingers or catch in adjacent objects on a desk or other support.

Another object is to provide improved means for controlling the action of the staple-driver in driving the staple through the throat at the end of the magazine in which the staples are contained and also to regulate the manner in which the staple engages with the clinching means as its legs are pierced through the work.

Another object is to provide plural springs for resisting the movement of the staple-magazine and the .driveroperating lever toward the base on which the anvil is supported to insure the improved cooperative action between the staple-driver and the clinching means.

Another object is to provide an implement of the type indicated of compact size and light weight having substantially all its parts constructed of sheet-metal stamped out and shaped by forming them in dies by economical manufacturing methods.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the implement, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the complete implement showing it with its magazine-arm and driveroperating lever raised above the base to adapt the work to be inserted therebetween;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the implement taken through the base, magazine-arm and driver-operating lever to illustrate the mechanism on the interior thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the fore part of the staple-magazine and the operating lever on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1 and showing the detentmeans for restraining the movement of the magazinearm relative to the driver-operating lever;

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged part-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing the pivotal mounting for the staple-rnagazine and driver-operating lever;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the fore part of the implement showing the location of a staple in the staple-magazine, the staple-driver engaging therewith, the operating lever therefor and also through the base of the implement and the clinching anvil illustrating a relatively few sheets in place thereon;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view showing the operating lever depressed with the staple partly driven through the work and its legs engaged in the clincher-grooves;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the operating lever at the end of its depression to complete the driving of the staple through the work and the clinching of its legs on the under side thereof;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing thicker worlt placed on the anvil and illustrating a staple as partly driven therethrough as the clinching of its legs is started;

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the operating lever completely depressed and the staple driven into the work With its legs clinched against the under side thereof;

Fig. 11 is a part-sectional view similar to Fig. 8 showing a staple driven through the work with its legs bent outwardly by the clinching means to form a so-called pin-stitch;

Fig. 12 is a part-sectional view through the fore part of the magazine and operating lever showing the detentmeans for limiting the relative movement between these elements; and

Fig. 13 is a part-sectional plan view on line 11313 of Fig. 12, also illustrating the detent-means between the operating lever and staple-magazine.

In the present specification and accompanying drawings the invention is disclosed as embodied in a hand 1 operated implement, such as a desk-stapler or the like for applying U-shaped staples, but it is to be understood that the present improvements may be used in connection with implements of other types such as tackers and hammers.

In general, the present implement is substantially the same as that shown and described in the pending application of Howard G. Allen, Serial No. 546,894, filed November 15, 1955, comprising a relatively flat rectangular base 2, a hollow staple-magazine 3 pivoted above the rearward end of the base, and a driver-operating lever 5 pivoted to swing about the same aXis as the magazine; this being a conventional arrangement of the parts of stapling devices. The base 2 may be constructed of sheet-metal to provide a flat top-Wall 6 and downturned marginal flanges 7. Resilient pads 8 (Fig. 2) of rubber or equivalent material are located at the forward and rearward ends of the base 2 to cushion the implement as it rests on a desk or other support. The base 2 has adjustable clinching means at its forward end comprising an anvil 9 formed with clincher-grooves of varying disposition for bending the legs of a staple in different directions. That is to say, the anvil 9 may be formed with conventional clincher-grooves 10 arranged to bend the legs of the staple inwardly toward each other to clinch them on the under side as shown in Figs. 8 and 10; or other grooves 11 may be provided spaced apart to spread the legs of the staple outwardly in clinching them as shown in Fig. 11 to effect what is sometimes called a pin-stitch. The anvil 9 (Fig. 2) is mounted for adjustment forwardly and rearwardly on the base 2, being supported in ofllset relation to the forward end of a plate 12 which is slidable on the under side of the top-Wall 6 of the base. L'aterally extending portions 4 of the anvil 9 (Fig. 6) overlap the sides of the base 2 to provide finger-grips for adjusting the anvil in accordance with the type of clinch to be used.

The anvil 9 projects upwardly through a rectangular opening 13 in the top of the base 2 which is dimensioned to adapt it to slide in either direction for adjusting the difierent clincher-grooves in operative relation to the staple-driver. A projecting V-shaped ledge or detentabutment 14 on the under side of the plate 12 is disposed for engagement by a leaf-spring 15 having a rounded bent portion 16 at its end adapted to snap over the abutment 14 for locking the anvil 9 in either forward or rearward position on the base. The leaf-spring 15 is fastened to the under side of the top-wall 6 of the base 2 by means of a rivet 17 and is extended rearwardly therefrom with itsend 18 underlying a slidable plunger-pin 20 for controlling the final downard pivotal movement of the magazine 3 in a manner latter explained. V

At the rearward end of the base 2 is a U-shaped bracket or support 25 (Figs. 2 and fastened to the top-wall 6 of the base 2 by rivets 26 and 27 and having its spaced vertical walls 28 formed with circular cars 29 for pivotally mounting the magazine 3 and the driver-operating lever 5 by means of a cross-pin 30.

The magazine 3 is of usual box-like construction comprising a bottom wall 31, upstanding side walls 32 and shorter end walls 33 and 34. Thus the magazine is open at the top to adapt the staples s to be inserted there into with their legs resting on the bottom of the magazine; the staples usually being packaged for shipment and use in the form of sticks or refills with the individual staples cemented together in parallel abutting relationship in' series. A rod 35 (Fig. 2) extends longitudinally of the interior of the magazine 3 with its reduced ends held in holes in the end walls 33 and 34; the staples s being adapted to straddle the rod as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A hardened plate 36 held against the rearward end wall 34 of the magazine 3 (Figs. 1 and 2) by a shoulder on the rod 35 has its upper portion curled over to provide a rest for the end of the operating lever 5 when the latter is swung back for loading the magazine with a supply of staples.

A staple-pusher 40 of usual construction is adapted to slide longitudinally of the rod 35 and to be propelled therealong by a helical spring 41 surrounding the rod for feeding the staples forwardly to the driving means of the implement.

Fastened to the forward end of the magazine 3 is a U-shaped housing member 42 (Figs. 1 and 3) having its front wall 47 spaced at a slight distance from the short forward wall 33 of the magazine 3 to provide a guideway or throat 48 (Fig. 2) for receiving the foremost staple fed from the magazine to adapt it to be driven therethrough for setting it in the work. The side walls 49 of the housing 42 overlap and abut the upstanding portions 50 (Fig. 3) of the forward side walls 32 of the magazine 3, being fixedly secured thereto by welding or other means to provide a reinforced structure.

The driver-operating lever 5 is of conventional construction having a top-wall 52 with depending vertical side walls 53 and a front wall 54 closing its forward end. The rearward circular ends of the side walls 53 are formed with holes for receiving the ends of the pivotpin 30, previously mentioned. Preferably, a hand-rest 55 is provided overlying the forward end of the lever 5 and fastened thereto by rivets 56. The rivets 56 are made use of for attaching the staple-driver 60 to the lever 5, the driver being constructed of hardened metal in right-angular shape with a portion abutting the under side of the top-wall 52 of the lever 5. A substantially vertical blade-like extension 62 forms the driver proper which is slidable in the guideway or throat 48 (Fig. 2) at the forward end of the magazine 3.

Referring to Fig. 2, a leaf-spring 63 fastened at one end to the bottom wall of the bracket 25 by the rivet 27, previously mentioned, extends upwardly at an angle thereto and then forwardly to underlie the bottom wall 31 of the magazine 3; the spring 63 functioning to resiliently maintain the magazine 3 and operating lever 5 rocked upwardly about the pivot-pin 30 (Fig. 1) and initially resisting the pressure to force the magazine downwardly in the manner later explained. As shown in Fig. 2, the spring 63 cooperates with the stronger spring 15, previously described, by engaging the upper end of the plunger-pin 20 during the latter part of the downward movement of the driver-operating lever 5 and magazine 3. The extent of upward pivoting move ,4 ment of the magazine 3 is limited by means of detentlugs 37 (Figs. 1 and 4) sheared from the side walls 28 of the bracket 25 and bent inwardly to adapt their ends to engage the edges of rectangular openings 38 in the side walls 32 of the magazine 3. At the forward end of the magazine 3 the sides 49 of the housing 42 are formed with lugs 64 (Figs. 1 and 3) for gripping it with the fingers when it is required to raise the operating lever 5 above the magazine 3 to open the latter for loading the fasteners thereinto.

As more particularly described in the pending application referred to above, means are provided for preventing the staples s from riding up from the bottom of the magazine 3. Such means may consist in a hold-down member 65 of inverted trough-shape having the bottom edges of its side walls 67 engageable with the tops of the staples s as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The side walls 67 of the member have circular ears 68 at their rearward ends apertured to receive the pivot-pin 30 for hingedly mounting the member 65 within the sides of the operating lever 5. A leaf-spring 70 overlying the top of the member 65 and riveted thereto at 71 has its forward portion curved upwardly (Fig. 2) with its end engaging under the top-wall 52 of the operating lever 5. The rearward end of the spring 70 is bent downwardly in an are at 72 to engage in under and across the reduced central portion 73 of the pivot-pin 30 (Fig. 5) between shoulders 74 to retain the pin in its bearings in the several pivoted members. The spring 70 functions to normally hold the operating lever 5 raised above the magazine 3 in the manner as later explained. Detent-means are provided for automatically latching the hold-down member 65 to the magazine 3 at its forward end in either of two different positions in accordance with the size or height of the staples contained in the magazine 3. As shown in Fig. 3 such detent-rneans may comprise studs or plungers 75 slidable in holes 78 in the side walls 67 of the member 65 and provided with flanges 79 for limiting their sliding movement. The plungers 75 are operated under the tension of a helical spring 80 having its ends enclosing reduced end portions 81 of the plungers and bearing against the flanges 79. The ends of the plungers 75 are convexed to adapt them to slide easily on the inner face of the walls of the magazine 3 for engagement with the holes 76 in the sides of the magazine. As indicated in Fig. 3 and shown and described specifically in the pending application identified above, a second pair of holes 77 may be provided in the sides of the magazine 3 so that the hold down member 65 can be latched in its upper position to engage against larger staples, but this part of the device has no direct relation to the present invention so that no further description thereof appears necessary.

It will be seen that when the forward end of the holddown member 65 is latched to the sides of the magazine 3 as shown in Fig. 3 the spring 70 serves as the means for resiliently maintaining the operating lever 5 elevated above themagazine. The hold-down member 65 is prevented from being released from the operating lever 5 under the pressure of the spring 70 by means of lugs 85 (Figs. 12 and 13) projecting laterally from its forward end for engagement with ears 86 projecting inwardly from the side walls 53 of the operating lever. The lugs 85 are formed by portions of the metal cut away from the top-wall 66 of the member 65 and bent outwardly while the cars 86 are formed by indenting the side walls 53 of the lever 5 to project portions of the metal inwardly.

The structure and arrangement of the complete appliance having been described in detail, its method of operation is explained as follows: To open the magazine 3 for loading it with staples the driver-operating lever 5 is swung rearwardly to support it on the rest 36. The staple-pusher 40 is then retracted by gripping it in the fingers and sliding it rearwardly. along the rod 35 to compress the spring 41. While holding the pusher 40 in its retracted relationship a supply of staples s may be inserted into the magazine 3, a relatively large number" of staples being usually cemented together in stick form and such a stick or several sticks may be dropped into the magazine 3 to support the staples with the ends of their legs resting on the bottom thereof. When the pusher 40 is released it will be slid forwardly by the spring 41 to advance the whole series of staples s and feed the foremost one into the throat 48 beneath the driverblade 62.

After loading, the magazine 3 is closed by swinging the operating lever 5 downwardly with the hold-down member 65 moving with it under the pressure of the spring 70. with the lever 5 the lower edges of its side walls 67 will engage against the top of the staples at their shoulders to seat them firmly on the bottom of the magazine 3 and prevent them from rising up therefrom or being otherwise disarranged (Fig. 3). During this adjustment of the hold-down member 65 the plungers 75 slide freely along the inner faces of the walls 50 of the magazine and are projected laterally by the spring 80 to cause their convex ends to engage in the openings 76. The hold-down member 65 is thus latched in substantially permanent relationship within the magazine 3 for holding the staples in place.

The anvil 9 may be adjusted by sliding it forwardly or rearwardly on the base 2 to locate either set of clincher- I grooves 10 or 11 in cooperative relation to the driverblade 62, the choice being made as to which type of clinch is to be used, either the conventional type shown in Fig. 8 or that shown in Fig. 11. As the anvil 9 is adjusted to the desired position the bent end 16 of the spring will slide over the detent-projection 14 to retain the anvil against unwarranted or accidental displacement; it being noted that the ends of the slot 13 through which the offset portion of the anvil projects limit its sliding movement during the adjustment. The appliance is now prepared for operation in the manner as next explained.

The work W is placed across the anvil 9 as shown in Fig. 2 and when it is relatively thin, for example as consisting of only a few sheets as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it is desirable that the staples be applied and so clinched as to insure that their legs are close against the under side of the work to prevent their ends from projecting therefrom to scratch the fingers or catch on other objects when placed on a desk. The several stages in the driving and clinching of a staple with this type of work, that is, a relatively thin collection of sheets or the like, are shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. As the operator presses against the hand-rest 55 to carry the magazine 3 down into contact with the work and apply a staple the spring 63 will yield and engage the plunger 20. The end of the spring 15 resists the downward movement of the plunger to force the spring 70 to yield and allow the lever 5 to continue its movement and slide the driver-blade 62 downwardly in the throat 48 to impinge its lower edge against the top of the staple as shown in Fig. 6. The staples being cemented together in a stock offer considerable resistance to the force applied through the driver-blade 62 by the lever 5 so that the downward movement of the lever will apply pressure to the magazine 3 to carry it down against the work as the end 18 of the spring 15 yields.

Continued pressure on the operating lever 5 will cause the driver-blade 62 to shear the staple from the stick and force its legs through the work W to engage their ends with the clincher-grooves 10 as shown in Fig. 7. This engagement of the ends of the legs of the staple with the clincher-grooves will tend to force them inwardly toward each other by bending them at the shoulders where they join the crown or crossbar s. As the staple is sheared from the stick and its legs driven through the work the stronger spring 15 which has been depressed will react and force the stud 20 upwardly, thereby causing the magazine 3 to be lifted slightly at its front end as shown in As the hold-down member 65 is thus carried down 'where no support for plement for use with Fig. 7; the extent of this lifting action as indicated in this view of the drawing being somewhat exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

As the forward end of the magazine 3 is raised while the legs of the staple are being driven through the work the clincher-grooves 10 act to bend the legs inwardly toward each other so that they have a wedging effect on the work W, tending to pry it upwardly to follow the lift of the magazine under the force of the spring 15 on the plunger 20. However, as pressure on the operating lever 5 is continued the driver-blade 62 will continue its descent to overcome the combined resistance of the springs 15 and 63 so that the magazine will again be seated against the work as the legs'of the staple are bent clear around and substantially flat against the under side of the work as shown in Fig. 8. In this way a close, relatively flat clinch is accomplished when stapling relatively thin materials, the cooperative action of the springs 15 and 63 effected by the intervention of the plunger 20 therebetween being the means functioning for this desired result. Substantially the same close clinching of the staple-legs is accomplished with the use of the other type of clinchergrooves 11 as shown in Fig. 11.

For stapling thicker work the appliance is operated in the same manner with each staple being driven while the magazine remains in contact with the work T. In such case, as shown in Fig. 9, the legs of the staple are supported and guided by the material being stapled to cause them to drive straight therethrough until their ends meet the curved bottom faces of the clincher-grooves 10. As the driver-blade 62 continues to force a staple through the work its legs are supported throughout the greater portion of their length so that they start to bend adjacent their terminal ends as indicated in Fig. 9. Then, as they continue to bend toward each other as shown in Fig. 10, they will finally curl up against the under side of the Kerk without their ends projecting downwardly there- It Will be understood from the above explanation that the present invention is particularly designed to improve the driving and clinching of staples in relatively thin work the legs is provided by the material being operated upon. It is to be understood, however, that the present implement may be used successfully for practically all types of work without consideration as to the thickness of the material to which the staples are to be applied.

It will be observed from the foregoing specification that the present invention provides an improved stapling imdifferent types of work to insure close, relatively flat clinching of the legs of the staple on the under side of the material without the ends projecting therefrom. While the invention is herein disclosed as applied to use with a hand-operated desk implement, it is to be understood that the construction and arrangement of the parts of the device may be modified as for stapletackers or hammers and the like, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a stapling implement comprising a base, clinching means carried by said base, a hollow magazine for staples movably mounted above said base, an operating lever movably mounted above said magazine, a stapledriver carried by said operating lever to move relatively to said magazine to drive a staple therefrom for engaging its legs with said clinching means, and resilient means for maintaining said operating lever raised above said magazine, the combination therewith of a spring acting between the base and magazine to normally hold the magazine raised, a second stronger spring on said base, and means extending from one of said last-named springs toward the other spring and engageable therewith at the end of the downward movement of said magazine to increase the resistance to its movement toward said base.

2. In a stapling implement comprising a base having therefrom, the combination therewith of a leaf spring mounted above the base and engaging under the magazine to normally sustain it in raised relationship, and a second stronger spring on said base and carrying a stud at its end engageable by the first-named spring to increase the resistance to the downward movement of the magazine as it approaches the end of its descent.

3. In a stapling implement comprising a relatively fiat base, a clinching anvil supported at the end of said base;

a hollow magazine pivotally mounted at the opposite end of said base to adapt its forward end to swing downward toward said clinching anvil, said magazine having a throat at its forward end, anoperating lever pivotally mounted at its rearward end above said magazine to adapt it to swing relatively thereto, a driver-blade carried by said op- I crating lever for reciprocation in the throat of the magazine, and means for feeding staples from the magazine into said throat, the combination of aleaf-spring mounted on said base with its free end engaging under said magazine to normally sustain the latter raised above the base,

a second stronger spring mounted under the base and en' gaging a stud slidable through said base, said stud being engageable by said first-named spring at the end of the downward motion of the magazine to increase the resistance to its movement toward the base.

4. In an implement of the type indicated, a relatively flat base, a clinching anvil supported on said base, a hollow staple-magazine pivotally mounted above said base'to swing downward relatively thereto, said magazine having a throat at its end for receiving a staple to be driven therefrom, means to feed the staples individually into said throat, an operating lever pivoted above said magazine to swing relatively thereto, resilient means for normally maintaining said operating lever raised above said magazine, and a staple-driver carried by said operating lever for reciprocation in the throat of the magazine to drive a staple therefrom, a leaf-spring fastened at the rearward end .of the basewith its end inclined upwardly to engage.

1 under the magazine, a second stronger spring supported from; the base in opposed relation to the first-named spring, and a stud seated on said second spring and adapted to be engaged by the first-named spring as the magazine moves toward the base in driving a staple through the work to engage its legs with the clinching anvil.

5. In a fastener-applying implement comprising a base, a hollow magazine for fasteners mounted to move toward said base, means for driving fasteners fed from said magazine for inserting them into the work supported on said base, the combination therewith of a spring between the magazine and base for normally sustaining said magazine raised above the base, and a stronger spring carried by the base and having means at its end engageable with the first-named spring as the magazine is moved toward the base to increase the resistance to its movement at the end of its downward stroke.

6. In a fastener-applying implement comprising a base having clinching means thereon, a magazine arm mounted to move toward said base, means for driving fasteners fed from the magazine arm into the work held on said base, the combination therewith of a leaf-spring between said magazine arm and base for normally maintaining said magazine arm raised away therefrom, a second spring carried by the base, and means so constructed and arranged as to cause said second spring to engage the firstnamed spring near the end of the downward movement of said magazine arm to multiply the resistance to its movement toward said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 200,774' Somers Feb. 26, 1878 1,845,186 Raeburn Feb. 16, 1932 2,624,878 Morano Jan. 13, 1953 

